Health Tools

Looking to lead a stronger, healthier life?Sign up for our Wellness Wire newsletter for all sorts of nutrition, fitness, and wellness wisdom.

Please enter a valid email.

Your privacy is important to us. Any information you provide to us via this website may be placed by us on servers located in countries outside of the EU. If you do not agree to such placement, do not provide the information.

Now we’re in this together.Thanks for subscribing and having us along on your health and wellness journey.

Dandruff, also called seborrheic dermatitis,
is a self-contained scalp condition that causes flaky skin or scales on your
scalp. You can’t catch dandruff from anyone else, although it tends to run in
families.

Read on to learn the differences between lice
and dandruff. Knowing the differences can help you treat your scalp condition
properly.

How do the symptoms of lice and dandruff differ?

Head lice and dandruff can cause noticeable symptoms
in some people, but not in others. Itching is the most common symptom
associated with both conditions. Lice feed on human blood and stay close to the
scalp. The insects’ saliva irritates the scalp and causes you to itch. Dandruff
can itch if your scalp is very dry.

What does lice or dandruff look like?

Head lice and dandruff are both indicated by tiny white particles in the hair and scalp, and can be mistaken for one another at a quick glance. Upon closer inspection, the differences are easier to see.

What
causes lice and dandruff?

The causes of dandruff and lice are different.

Lice

Lice are parasitic insects that crawl and
spread to others through close contact. Lice can crawl onto:

How do you treat lice?

Check all
members of your household if someone has lice, especially if you share the same
bed. Lice transfers easily from person to person.

Prescription
shampoo

Treatment for head lice can come in the form
of medicated shampoos. Shampoos containing permethrin and pyrethrin kill lice
and nits and are recommended for adults and children over 2 years of age. You may
have to wash your hair with the medicated shampoo again after 7 to 10 days to
ensure that all the lice are dead.

To apply treatment, you should:

Remove clothing that may become
wet or stained during application.

Apply the medicine according to instructions
on the box. You may need a second bottle if you are treating longer hair.

Check for live lice 8 to 12 hours
after application. Comb out dead and live lice using a fine-tooth comb.

It is often advised to continue treatment
until all the lice and nits are gone. Depending on your medication, a follow-up
treatment is recommended about 7 to 9 days after the first treatment or if you
see crawling lice.

Medication

You may require over-the-counter (OTC) or
prescription medication. These medications include:

pyrethrins, available OTC

1 percent permethrin lotion,
available OTC

5 percent benzyl alcohol lotion,
prescription

0.5 percent ivermectin lotion,
prescription

0.5 percent, malathion lotion,
prescription

0.9 percent, spinosad topical
suspension

Home treatment

Nonmedical remedies can be used in addition
to medicated shampoos to help prevent head lice from spreading.

A lice infestation requires a little more
work around the house to make sure that all of the tiny insects and their eggs
are destroyed.

Wash clothing, towels, and bedding in very hot
water and dry them on a high heat setting. Vacuum upholstered furniture and
carpeting, and bag up stuffed animals and other toys for at least 3 days and up
to 2 weeks. Any remaining lice will die without food.

How do you treat dandruff?

Shampoo

You can also manage dandruff with special
shampoos designed to slow the skin-shedding process or treat fungal infections
that might lead to skin flaking. Look for shampoos with coal tar, salicylic acid,
ketoconazole, or selenium sulfide. Use dandruff shampoos every day to control
severe flaking or weekly to manage minor symptoms.

Home remedies

How can I prevent lice?

Lice can affect anyone. It’s not a sign of
dirtiness or bad hygiene and the length of your hair doesn’t increase or
decrease your risk. These bugs travel by close contact, so preventing a head
lice infestation will involve reducing contact. Keep personal items like combs,
scarves, and hair ties to yourself. Tell children to avoid head to head contact
at school and at home. If you’ve come in close contact with someone who has
lice, examine yourself and your children’s heads every 3 to 4 days for nits or
lice.

How can I prevent dandruff?

Dandruff can be tough to prevent if you’re
genetically predisposed to the condition. However, there are several ways to
reduce episodes of flaky skin. Using an antidandruff or antifungal shampoo may
help with your symptoms. Shampoos with tea tree oil may also be effective for
reducing dandruff.

We won't share your email address. Privacy policy. Any information you provide to us via this website may be placed by us on servers located in countries outside of the EU. If you do not agree to such placement, do not provide the information.

We’re unable to offer personal health advice, but we’ve partnered with trusted telehealth provider Amwell, who can connect you with a doctor. Try Amwell telehealth for $1 by using the code HEALTHLINE.

Your privacy is important to us. Any information you provide to us via this website may be placed by us on servers located in countries outside of the EU. If you do not agree to such placement, do not provide the information.